frederick the great and his family-第76节

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ce　Henry。〃

〃It　is　nothing　of　importance；〃　said　the　Russian；　apathetically；　〃the　prince　has　entirely　recovered　from　his　wounds；　and　has　been　solacing　himself　in　his　winter　camp　at　Dresden　with　the　representations　upon　the　French　stage。　He　has　taken　part　as　actor；　and　has　played　the　role　of　Voltaire's　Enfant　Prodigue。　It　is　further　written；　that　he　has　now　left　the　comic　stage　and　commenced　the　graver　game　of　arms。〃

〃He　might　accidentally　change　these　roles；〃　said　Belleville；　gayly；　〃and　play　the　Enfant　Prodigue　when　he　should　play　the　hero。　In　which　would　he　be　the　greater；　do　you　know；　Ranuzi？〃

The　Italian　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You　must　ask　his　wife。〃

〃Or　Baron　Kalkreuth；　who　has　lingered　here　for　seven　months　because　of　his　wounds；〃　said　Giurgenow；　with　a　loud　laugh。　〃Besides；　Prince　Henry　is　averse　to　this　war；　all　his　sympathies　are　on　our　side。　If　the　fate　of　war　should　cost　the　King　of　Prussia　his　life；　we　would　soon　have　peace　and　leave　this　detestable　Berlinthis　dead；　sandy　desert；　where　we　are　now　languishing　as　prisoners。〃

〃The　god　of　war　is　not　always　complaisant；〃　said　the　Frenchman；　grimly。　〃He　does　not　always　strike　those　whom　we　would　gladly　see　fall；　the　balls　often　go　wide　of　the　mark。〃

〃Truly　a　dagger　is　more　reliable；〃　said　Ranuzi；　coolly。

The　Russian　cast　a　quick；　lowering　side　glance　upon　him。

〃Not　always　sure；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　said　that　men　armed　with　daggers　have　twice　found　their　way　into　the　Prussian　camp；　and　been　caught　in　the　king's　tent。　Their　daggers　have　been　as　little　fatal　to　the　king　as　the　cannon…balls。〃

〃Those　who　bore　the　daggers　were　Dutchmen；〃　said　Ranuzi；　apathetically；　〃they　do　not　understand　this　sort　of　work。　One　must　learn　to　handle　the　dagger　in　my　fatherland。〃

〃Have　you　learned？〃　said　Giurgenow；　sharply。

〃I　have　learned　a　little　of　every　thing。　I　am　a　dilettanti　in　all。〃

〃But　you　are　master　in　the　art　of　love；〃　said　Belleville；　smiling。　〃Much　is　said　of　your　love…affairs；　monsieur。〃

〃Much　is　said　that　is　untrue。〃　said　the　Italian；　quietly。　〃I　love　no　intriguesleast　of　all；　love　intrigues；　while　you；　sir；　are　known　as　a　veritable　Don　Juan。　I　learn　that　you　are　fatally　in　love　with　the　beautiful　maid　of　honor　of　the　Princess　Henry。〃

〃Ah；　you　mean　the　lovely　Fraulein　von　Marshal；〃　said　Giurgenow；　〃I　have　also　heard　this；　and　I　admire　the　taste　and　envy　the　good　fortune　of　Belleville。〃

〃It　is；　indeed；　true；〃　said　Belleville；　〃the　little　one　is　pretty；　and　I　divert　myself　by　making　love　to　her。　It　is　our　duty　to　teach　these　little　Dutch　girls；　once　for　all；　what　true　gallantry　is。〃

〃And　is　that　your　only　reason　for　paying　court　to　this　beautiful　girl？〃　said　Giurgenow；　frowningly。

〃The　only　reason；　I　assure　you；〃　cried　Belleville；　rising　up；　and　drawing　near　the　window。　〃But；　look；〃　cried　he；　hastily；　〃what　a　crowd　of　men　are　filling　the　streets；　and　how　the　people　are　crying　and　gesticulating；　as　if　some　great　misfortune　had　fallen　upon　them！〃

The　two　officers　hastened　to　his　side　and　threw　open　the　window。　A　great　crowd　of　people　was　indeed　assembled　in　the　platz；　and　they　were　still　rushing　from　the　neighboring　streets　into　the　wide；　open　square；　in　the　middle　of　which；　upon　a　few　large　stones；　a　curious　group　were　exhibiting　themselves。

There　stood　a　tall；　thin　man　enveloped　in　a　sort　of　black　robe；　his　long　gray　hair　fell　in　wild　locks　around　his　pallid　and　fanatical　countenance。　In　his　right　hand　he　held　a　Bible；　which　he　waved　aloft　to　the　people；　while　his　large；　deeply…set；　hollow　eyes　were　raised　to　heaven；　and　his　pale　lips　murmured　light　and　unintelligible　words。　By　his　side　stood　a　woman；　also　in　black；　with　dishevelled　hair　floating　down　her　back。　Her　face　was　colorless；　she　looked　like　a　corpse；　and　her　thin；　blue　lips　were　pressed　together　as　if　in　death。　There　was　life　in　her　eyesa　gloomy；　wild；　fanatical　fire　flashed　from　them。　Her　glance　was　glaring　and　uncertain；　like　a　will…o'…the…wisp；　and　filled　those　upon　whom　it　fell　with　a　shivering；　mysterious　feeling　of　dread。

And　now；　as　if　by　accident；　she　looked　to　the　windows　where　the　three　gentlemen　were　standing。　The　shadow　of　a　smile　passed　over　her　face；　and　she　bowed　her　head　almost　imperceptibly。　No　one　regarded　this；　no　one　saw　that　Giurgenow　answered　this　greeting；　and　smiled　back　significantly　upon　this　enigmatical　woman。

〃Do　you　know　what　this　means；　gentlemen？〃　said　Belleville。

〃It　means；〃　said　Giurgenow；　〃that　the　people　will　learn　from　their　great　prophet　something　of　the　continuance；　or　rather　of　the　conclusion　of　this　war。　These　good；　simple　people；　as　it　seems　to　me；　long　for　rest；　and　wish　to　know　when　they　may　hope　to　attain　it。　That　man　knows；　for　he　is　a　great　prophet；　and　all　his　prophecies　are　fulfilled。〃

〃But　you　forget　to　make　mention　of　the　woman？〃　said　Ranuzi；　with　a　peculiar　smile。

〃The　woman　is；　I　think；　a　fortune…teller　with　cards；　and　the　Princess　Amelia　holds　her　in　great　respect；　but　let　us　listen　to　what　the　prophet　says。〃

They　were　silent；　and　listened　anxiously。　And　now　the　voice　of　the　prophet　raised　itself　high　above　the　silent　crowd。　Pealing　and　sounding　through　the　air；　it　fell　in　trumpet…tones　upon　the　ear；　and　not　one　word　escaped　the　eager　and　attentive　people。

〃Brothers；〃　cried　the　prophet；　〃why　do　you　interrupt　me？　Why　do　you　disturb　me；　in　my　quiet；　peaceful　pathme　and　this　innocent　woman；　who　stood　by　my　side　last　night；　to　read　the　dark　stars；　and　whose　soul　is　sad；　even　as　my　own；　at　what　we　have　seen。〃

〃What　did　you　see？〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　crowd。

〃Pale；　ghostly　shadows；　who；　in　bloody　garments；　wandered　here　and　there；　weeping　and　wailing；　seating　themselves　upon　a　thousand　open　graves；　and　singing　out　their　plaintive　hymns　of　lamentation。　'War！　war！'　they　cried；　'woe　to　war！　It　kills　our　men；　devours　our　youths；　makes　widows　of　our　women；　and　nuns　of　our　maidens。　Woe；　woe　to　war！　Shriek　out　a　prayer　to　God　for　peacepeace！　O　God；　send　us　peace；　close　these　open　graves；　heal　our　wounds；　and　let　our　great　suffering　cease！'〃

The　prophet　folded　his　hands　and　looked　to　heaven；　and　now　the　woman's　voice　was　heard。

〃But　the　heavens　were　dark　to　the　prayer　of　the　spirits；　and　a　blood…red　stream　gushed　from　them；　colored　the　stars　crimson；　turned　the　moon　to　a　lake　of　blood；　and　piteous　voices　cried　out　from　the　clouds；　and　in　the　air'Fight　on　and　die；　for　your　king　wills　it　so；　your　life　belongs　to　him；　your　blood　is　his。'　Then；　from　two　rivulets　of　blood；　giant…like；　pale；　transparent　forms　emerged；　upon　the　head　of　the　first；　I　read　the　number；　'1759。'　Then　the　pale　form　opened　its　lips；　and　cried　out：　'I　bring　war；　and　ever…new　bloodshed。　Your　king　demands　the　blood　of　your　sons；　give　it　to　him。　He　demands　your　gold；　give　it　to　him。　The　king　is　lord　of　your　body；　your　blood；　and　your　soul。　When　he　speaks；　you　must　obey！'〃

〃It　seems　to　me　all　this　is　a　little　too　Russian　in　its　conception；〃　said　Ranuzi；　half　aloud。　〃I　shall　be　surprised　if　the　police　do　not　interrupt　this　seance；　which　smells　a　little　of　insurrection。〃

〃The　scene　is　so　very　piquant；〃　said　Giurgenow；　〃I　would　like　to　draw　nearer。　Pardon　me；　gentlemen；　I　must　leave　you；　and　go　upon　the　square。　It　is　interesting　to　hear　what　the　people　say；　and　how　they　receive　such　prophecies。　We　can；　perhaps；　judge　in　this　way　of　the　probabilities　of　peace　and　liberty。　The　voice　of　the　people　is；　in　politics；　ever　the　decisive　voice。〃　He　took　his　hat；　and；　bowing　to　the　gentlemen；　left　the　room　hastily。




CHAPTER　III。

RANUZI


Count　Ranuzi　gazed　after　the　Russian　with　a　mocking　smile。　〃Do　you　know；　Belleville；　where　he　is　going？〃

〃He　has　not　told　us；　but　I　guess　it。　He　is　going　to　approach　this　fortune…teller；　and　give　her　a　sign　that　her　zeal　has　carried　her　too　far；　and　that；　if　not　more　prudent；　she　will　betray　herself。〃

〃You　think；　then；　that　Giurgenow　knows　the　fortune…teller？〃

〃I　am　certain　of　it。　He　has　engaged　these　charlatans　to　rouse　up　the　people；　and　excite　them　against　the　king。　This　is；　indeed；　a　very　common　mode　of　proceeding；　and　often　successful；　but　here；　in　Prussia；　it　can　bear　no　fruit。　The　people　here　have　nothing　to　do　with　politics；　the　king　reigns　alone。　The　people　are　nothing　but　a　mass　of　subjects；　who　obey　implicitly　his　commands；　even　when　they　know；　that　in　so　doing；　they　rush　on　destruction。〃

〃Giurgenow　has　failed；　and　he　might　have　counted　upon　failure！　If　you；　Belleville；　had　resorted　to　these　means；　I　could　have　understood　it。　In　France；　the　people　play　an　important　role　in　politics。　In　order　to　put　down　the　government；　you　must　work　upon　the　people。　You　might　have　been　forgiven　for　this　attempt；　but　Giurgenow　never！〃

〃You　believe；　then；　that　he　is　manoeuvring　here；　in　Berlin；　in　the　interest　of　his　government？〃　said　Belleville；　amazed。

Ranuzi　laughed　heartily。　〃That　is　a　fine　and　diplomatic　mode　of　expressing　the　thing！〃　said　he。　〃Yes；　he　is　here　in　the　interest　of　his　government；　but　when　the　Prussian　government　becomes　acquainted　with　this　fact；　they　will　consider　him　a　spy。　If　discovered；　he　will　be　hung。　If　successful；　when　once　more　at　liberty；　he　may　receive　thanks　and　rewards　from　Russia。　See；　now；　how　rightly　I　have　prophesied！　There　is　Giurgenow；　standing　by　the　side　o